Your Valentine
by The Dark Lynx
Summary: Simba learns the meaning of valentines day. Will he have enough courage to follow his heart?


Happy Valentines day! Review, good or bad, all I want is your opinion. Send me a message if you want, I'm on here at least twice a day, so I'll defiantly respond. I hope you like it! :D

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><p>Your Valentine<p>

The great King, Mufasa sat at the top of Pride rock looking out over the vast plains that laid before him. His golden son, acting as his shadow, rested on his hind legs beside the great lion.  
>"Dad why do you always come up here and do nothing? Doesn't this get boring?" The young prince looked up at his father with a curious expression.<br>The grown lion kept his eyes fixed in the distance, and spoke, "Simba I'm not doing nothing, I'm watching over the Pride lands, making sure all is peaceful. As a king, you must always..."  
>Simba zoned out as his dad started giving him the As King You Must speech. He couldn't wait to be king and all, but getting there so far, had started to prove itself as a boring experience. The cub yawned, and stretched out, as he thought to himself, Soon enough, it will all be worth it.<br>"... So you must remember to pick someone you really care for."  
>Simba's ears perked up at the words his father had spoken.<br>"Uhh... What?"  
>Mufasa looked down at his son with a lazy smile, which momentarily wavered before turning into a frown.<br>"Were you listening to anything I just said?"  
>Simba put on an apologetic smile, "Well... No."<br>The king heaved a great sigh, but smiled. "I was just saying that you should pick a girl to be your valentine today."  
>"Okay...What's a Valentine?"<br>"Your mom told you didn't she?"  
>"Nope!" Simba laid down on the rock, but suddenly raised his head off the stone and looked up at his dad with interest.<br>"Dad what were you saying about a girl?"  
>"Haha Siiimbaaa!" Mufasa rested on the rock next to his son.<br>"Valentines day is a special time that comes every year. Today is when you show appreciation for the person you love."  
>"So like how you love mom?" Simba asked. He still didn't quite understand.<br>"Yes like how I'm in love with your mom. Is there anyone you love?"  
>Simba thought to himself for a little while. "How do you know you're in love?"<br>Mufasa wore a grand smile. "How do you feel when your around Nala?"  
>"Well, sometimes my heart starts beating really fast, and I can never think of what to say. Also sometimes in my dreams... Hey! I'm not in love with Nala, she's my friend."<br>The king let out a booming laugh. "Simba, that's exactly how I feel about your mom."  
>The golden cub looked up at his father, suddenly very interested in their conversation.<br>"Are you going to ask Nala to be your valentine?"  
>Simba looked down at his paws. "I don't know if I should. What if she doesn't love me back?"<br>"So you do love her!"  
>Simba slapped his paw against his face. "Oops"<br>"Ask her to be your valentine. I heard her mom explaining it to her last night, and I'm sure she will be flattered. Oh yeah, and make sure you make it special." With that, Mufasa descended down Pride rock.  
>Simba stood up, and looked over the edge down at the waterhole and noticed a shape near the shore that didn't match the color of the surrounding grass. He watched it closely, before the mass of cream shifted and started moving back towards Pride rock. It was her! The young prince jumped, spinning around, then landed clumsily on his feet, and took off down the pathway to the den, his claws scraping against the rock as he ran.<p>

As Nala neared Pride rock, she noticed her mother lounging in a relaxed position, near the tall grass at the opening of the den.  
>"Hey mom," Nala said excitedly as she ran up to Sarafina and jumped on her back.<br>"Hey sweetie, has anyone asked you to be their valentine yet?"  
>Nala's expression changed in an instant. "No... I don't think anyone will."<br>"Why not?" Sarafina looked shocked.  
>The creamy cub sighed, "Well, all the boys at the waterhole just wanted to play Pinned Ya."<br>A few seconds of silence passed by before the older lioness asked, "Was Simba there too?"  
>"No, I don't know where he is. He's probably..."<br>Nala was cut off, as there was an outcry, a flash of gold and a cloud of dust. When the air cleared, a dirty, tangled up, disgruntled Simba lay in the grass before them. He attempted getting back on his feet too quickly, and tripped again. Nala giggled slightly, still atop her mother's back.  
>Sarafina smiled, at the embarrassment radiating from the young prince.<br>The golden cub showed his teeth in a small, embarrassed smile. "Hi uh.. Nala could you.. I mean would you... Bye!" Simba jumped about 4 feet in the air, and was running before he even hit the ground. A shower of dust and dirt shot out from under him as he bolted towards the waterhole.  
>"See mom, he's avoiding me."<br>Sarafina looked up at her daughter for a few seconds, then rolled to her side, making Nala fall off her back.  
>"Go talk to him, I think he was trying to say something." She nuzzled her daughter, and then pushed her in the direction Simba had sped off to, with her nose. Nala walked slowly towards the Waterhole, with her head spinning with an internal argument. He won't ask me, he just likes me as a friend. Then what was he trying to say back there? He wasn't trying to say anything; he just wanted to get away. I should give him a chance.<br>She looked up from the ground and saw Simba sitting near the edge of the water. Nala slowly sneaked up till she was just a few feet away from him, but stopped immediately when he started talking to himself. She crouched down flat to the ground, but perked her ears listening intently.  
>"Great job Simba, you just made a complete fool of yourself." He slapped his reflection in the water fiercely, "Now she'll say no for sure."<br>Nala raised off the ground, dumbfounded by what she had heard. The sudden movement caused a stick to crack under her paw, sending Simba jumping frightfully right into the muddy water in front of him. Nala ran over to the edge and yelled, "Simba!"  
>He emerged, coughing and choking, covered from head to tail in a smelly mess. The once golden prince looked down at his chest, then back up at Nala utterly horrified.<br>"Sorry Simba, I didn't mean to scare you... So what where you saying before, near the den?"  
>With his expression unchanged, some muddy water dribbled off Simba's chin.<br>"Hello? Aren't you going to answer me?" She waved a paw in front of his face.  
>He blinked a few times, then tried his best to smile. "Uhh ya, I was gunna... You look really pretty today."<br>Nala giggled quietly. "You look umm..."  
>He brushed some drying mud off his shoulder, Smiling with embarrassment at the ground.<br>"I should probably go..." Simba turned to leave, but was stopped when Nala pounced on his back and pinned him to the ground, with her paws on his muddy chest. "Pinned ya!"  
>Simba smiled, "Nal, do you want to meet me back here before sunset?"<br>19mins ago  
>He saw the opportunity. This way he would have enough time to get cleaned up, meet her back here, and ask her before the day was over.<br>"Okay, I'll see you in a bit." She replied.  
>She lifted her paws off him, and stepped to the side to let him up. He smiled at her, before regaining his feet and disappearing in the tall grass of the Savannah.<br>Nala was just about hopeless now, as she made her way back to the den. She saw her mother still laying by the entrance.  
>"Hey Nala, why was Simba covered in mud when he went into the den?" Sarafina spoke with interest, but kept her eyes closed to the sun.<br>Nala frowned at her paws. "When I went to talk to him, I tried sneaking up, but I broke a stick, and he Jumped into the muddy part of the waterhole."  
>"Oh." The mother spoke, trying to focus on relaxing.<br>"I asked him if he wanted to say anything, but he just told me I looked pretty." Nala continued.  
>Sarafina opened her eyes, and looked at her daughter. "Maybe he was embarrassed because he got covered in mud, and didn't want to ask you just then."<br>"Ooooohhhhh... Thanks mom!" The cub nuzzled her mother, then started her walk back to the waterhole.  
>"Kids," Sarafina said, exasperated.<p>

"Wow Simba, I've never heard you ask for a bath before."  
>"Ugh. Mom are you almost done? The suns going down soon! Ah, you're messing up my mane!"<br>Sarbi smiled at her son. "Okay, okay, I'm done. Just try not to get so dirty."  
>The prince ran his claws through the fur on top of his head, trying to straighten it out.<br>"Thanks mom," he said grudgingly.  
>"Bye Simba. Good luck!"<br>He was blinded as he exited the den. The sun was directly in front of him, and on its way down. The golden cub moved like lightning, in a race against time. If he didn't make it back to the Waterhole before the sun went down, it would be to late to ask her. He ran like he never had before, but it still wasn't fast enough for him. Every step seemed to be in slow motion. The sky was on fire, in a beautiful but horrible mixture of yellow, orange, and red. The sun was almost gone, but he was just about there. He saw Nala turn around, hearing him running towards her.  
>"Hi Simba, why are you running so...Simba slow down. STOP!"<br>The prince, dug his claws into the soil, trying to halt his movement. His front claws, got caught in the dirt, and sent him tumbling, right into the mud for the second time that day.  
>"Simba?" Nala called for him. She couldn't even make out his shape in the muck. He came up sputtering suddenly, and started spitting dirt out of his mouth.<br>"Simba are you okay?"  
>He stayed silent, before turning his head towards the sunset. The last of the sun disappeared in the distance, as Simba covered his muddy face with his paws. Nala looked from him to the sun run back at him. She thought for a few more seconds, then made her decision. She sprang forwards, landing in the mud with a splash.<br>Simba was taken aback. "Nal what are you doing!"  
>She grinned at him, before both of the cubs burst out in laughter.<br>"You never answered my question. Why were you running so fast?"  
>If Simba had a collar, he would have tugged on it.<br>"Umm I was just... Well, I said we should meet here before sunset?"  
>Nala giggled. "Is that a question or an answer?"<br>Simba frowned down at the mud between them, then sighed. "Okay... Nala, I wanted to ask you to be my valentine, but its to late now, valentines day is over."  
>She grinned at him, then tackled him into the mud. After a few rounds of Pinned Ya, they dragged themselves onto dry land.<br>"I'll still be your valentine Simba." She nuzzled his dripping neck.  
>His eyes lit up, but went dark again. "How? It's too late." She licked his nose, making his eyes lose focus, and a dumb grin appear on his face.<br>"I'll always be your valentine." With that, she took off running, leaving him in the dust this time.

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><p>Well, how was it? Let me know! Happy valentines day once again, here's a rose!<p>

;-

By the way, I don't say "I don't own The Lion King." Should I?


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